


Strike Up The Band

by lindsey_grissom



Category: Holby City
Genre: Drama, F/F, Five Times, Fluff, Lots of kissing, a little bit of fire, spoilers likely
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2016-08-30
Packaged: 2018-08-10 18:21:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7856155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lindsey_grissom/pseuds/lindsey_grissom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five alternative ways that Bernie and Serena might find themselves kissing in the Hospital.<br/>There may be spoilers!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Going Once...

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILER ALERT!
> 
> This is based on an idea phantomunmasked and I came up with when we saw the initial spoilers for next week's episodes. Together we came up with a list of five ways a kiss could happen between Bernie and Serena and I got to writing...of course now we've seen the rest of the spoilers - and THAT article - so think of them as alternatives. My intention was to post them as a one-shot of five drabbles, but the word counts kept climbing, so they'll be posted as seperate chapters. I hope you enjoy!

“That was humiliating.”

Bernie slides a full wine glass across the table, hardly reaching Serena’s place before it’s snatched up. “Come on, it wasn’t that bad.”

“No one bid on me.” If she slumps any further down in her chair, Bernie’s afraid Serena will end the night on the floor. “Not a single person.”

“I bid on you.” Bernie reminds her, whisky glass clenched tightly. “Two thousand pounds.” All the flexible income she has at the moment, between hotel bills and the lawyers bleeding her dry - but of course, Serena doesn’t need to know that.

“And thank goodness you did! I must have looked a bloody idiot stood out there.”

Serena’s emptied almost half her glass already and Bernie’s heard rumours about Serena’s drinking but she’s never actually seen the woman gulp Shiraz down as fast as this.

“No…of course you didn’t, you looked-” _beautiful_ “-great. Fine.”

“I looked like my date stood me up at the prom.” Serena tips her head back, draining her glass. “Have they been after you for a cheque yet?”

“Yeah. Raf was over as soon as Fletch slammed his gavel down.”

Serena nods, sitting up a little to drop her glass onto the table. Reaching beneath her chair, she pulls out her bag. “Here, let me write you one. No point you being out of pocket - you’ve been enough of a hero as it is.”

“No, don't.” Reaching out as Serena delves into her bag, Bernie clasps her wrist. “It’s fine, really. I was glad to do it.”

Serena’s free hand drops onto Bernie’s, giving it a little rub as she continues looking through her bag. “Nonsense. I was five seconds from bidding on myself anyway.”

The pout is back on Serena’s face and Bernie squeezes her wrist. She’s too close to lose out on this now.

“Serena, I want to do this.” Serena looks up and something crosses her face, a smile lingering on her lips. “It’s for charity.” Bernie adds like a coward, forcing her eyes away from Serena’s.

Serena’s smile falters, before picking back up a little tighter.  “Of course.  Well, at least someone here is thinking of the children. You’d have thought that one of these cheapskates could have bothered to front up some cash for me, even if they didn’t want to go ahead with the date.”

“Serena-”

“Although I’m not sure why the thought of that’s so terrible.” Serena carries on, finally pulling her hand out of her bag and her wrist out of Bernie’s grip. “I’m an intelligent woman, some have said witty.”

“Of course you ar-”

“There are much worse things than a night of decent conversation.”

Bernie’s horrified to realise that behind Serena’s puff and bluster, she seems genuinely upset about the night’s results. It’s hurt her, Bernie realises and wants to smack herself. Of course it has; she’d known Serena was more nervous about this auction than she’d let on. And after all their talks about Edward and his pretty, young tarts Bernie really should have known better.

“Even Hanssen got that anonymous bid for christsake!” Serena’s arms sweep up and back down, dumping her bag back on the floor. Her eyes glitter beneath the hall’s lights and Bernie can't stand this, can’t believe she was so stupid.

“It was me!” She bursts out, louder than she meant to before quieting. “It was me.”

Serena blinks. “You bid on Hanssen?”

“What?” _What?_

“You just said-”

Bernie shakes her head quickly. “No, no, not that. You.”

“Me? Me what?” Serena tilts her head, looking down at their little table and the small collection of glasses there.  “How much have you had?”

“Not enough.” Bernie mutters before catching Serena’s eye. It’s now or never. She was planning to do this at the restaurant, slowly, carefully - after a nice meal. But she can’t let this go on. Can’t have Serena thinking no one wants her.

Not when, well…

“The reason no one bid on you tonight.” She starts, then stops, heart hammering in her chest.

“What about it?” Serena reaches up to rub at the little furrowed lines on her forehead.

“I…” taking a deep breath she reaches for Serena’s hand, pulling it down to rest on the table. Serena’s thumb starts to brush little circles against her skin and it’s so instinctive, so familiar that Bernie’s fear lessens just enough to loosen her tongue. “I warned them all off.”

The thumb pauses. “What?”

Another deep breath, less shaky this time. “I wanted to win. I- I wasn’t sure how to tell you- and then the auction came up and you said you were putting yourself forward and that’s…it was so brave, you’re so _brave_ , Serena. And I thought, I thought I should be brave too, macho army medic, right? So I figured: dinner, with you. That would be a good time, the two of us alone, outside of work. But then I heard Ollie talking about it and Raf said he’d rather bid on you than any of the others and even Doctor Levy was saying he wouldn’t mind spending the evening with you and Guy was…well, you know Guy Self. And…” Pausing to take a breath, Bernie keeps her eyes focussed to the right of Serena’s head, not ready to see how her words are being received just yet. “Serena, until tonight I had a grand total of two thousand quid in my account and these guys were throwing around possible bids three times that so I figured I’d need to cheat.”

“What…” Serena’s voice is barely above a whisper and Bernie waits while she clears her throat. “What did you do?”

“Whatever I had to. Guy has me signing off his charts for a month, Raf just wants a favour to be named at a later date.” And Sacha had been surprisingly happy to withdraw the moment Bernie brought it up. “Everyone else was pretty easy to scare off.”

“Bernie.”

“And I know it’s for charity, so I collected their bids anyway, donated it all in your name. The children won’t suffer just because I’m a little strapped at the moment. It isn’t their fault that I-mmfphf.”

The rest of her words are lost against Serena’s lips, the soft touch of them suddenly against her own.

She barely has a moment to think, to feel before Serena is pulling back and Bernie finds herself leaning forward, reflexively following after her.

“You’re an idiot Berenice Wolfe.  Sweet, but an idiot.” They’re so close together that Bernie’s eyes can barely focus on Serena’s features but she sees the smile, the smirk and that gentle look she’s sure she’s caught glimpses of before.

Bernie smiles, closing the small distance between them. “And you have me for a whole evening.”

She feels the sharp nip of Serena’s teeth on her lip before her tongue sweeps out to soothe it. “Much, much longer than that I should hope.”

“Yes.” Bernie agrees. _Yes, please._


	2. Two-By-Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one was devised before we knew what the "tragedy and crisis" would actually be. So I pretty much threw a helicopter at the hospital and took it from there! Completely different vein to the last one. Hope you still enjoy and thank you all for reading!

Serena doesn’t know what a war zone actually feels like - and with Bernie running about from patient to patient at her side, she wouldn’t dare to make the comparison out loud - but she imagines it’s not so different to Holby today.

They’ve been evacuated off-site twice since the horrendous crash came from the floors above them and the fire fighters still haven’t cleared the top two floors.

She’s been down to the ED and it’s packed beyond capacity, she knows Raf’s being kept busy on AAU and every doctor from the F1s to Hanssen are up to their necks in critical traumas. 

They’ve got patients already in for illness and injury suffering all over again with new breaks and smoke inhalation and then there are their own. People she’s attended conferences with, head of ward meetings. People she’s sung drunken karaoke to and challenged to games of strip-shot poker, all being wheeled past her if they’re lucky, some still missing and the others…

Bernie’s hand on her shoulder makes her jump and she spins around. “You okay?”

Nodding, Serena reaches up to pat at Bernie’s hand, trying not to notice the amount of blood caught on both of their fingers; gloves long since torn off and no one’s been round with extras. “Yes, yes; fine. What’s next?”

Bernie looks at her a moment longer and Serena finds herself calming a little at the concern on her features, nodding once with a smile.  “Alright. We’ve got a possible crush injury on the way down, firemen are making their way down the back stairs no-”

The rest of her words are cut off as the world explodes around them and Serena finds herself grabbed tight and thrown to the floor, Bernie’s taller frame covering her.

The ground shakes and her ears stop working and for a moment all she can take in is Bernie: her forearm against Serena’s eyes, her scent and heat all around her and her heart beating at an alarming rate against Serena’s back.

And then Bernie’s moving off of her and the world comes crashing back into Serena’s senses.

Dust, smoke and dull screaming and Serena pushes herself up to her feet, Bernie’s hand wrapped around her elbow. There’s more smoke pouring out of the stairwell, doors blown off their hinges and Serena’s about to suggest they deal with the people caught nearest to them before they’re all evacuated out again, when she feels Bernie’s fingers slip away from her.

Turning, she lurches forward as Bernie takes off towards the stairwell, long legs leaping over piles of concrete and metal.

“Bernie!” Her voice hardly sounds like her own and she’s not even sure she’s shouting, except her throat feels ripped open with every repeat. “Bernie!”

Bernie looks back just as she slips through the open doorway, lips turning up in a small smile as she raises her hand in a mock salute. And then she’s gone and Serena’s left staring after her, breath coming too fast and shallow.

“-ampbell? Ms Campbell! Serena!”

Another touch at her arm and she spins around almost into Hanssen’s chest. “We need your help.”

“Bernie, she-”

Hanssen looks over her shoulder and Serena watches as something sad washes over his face before he looks back at her. “Ms Wolfe is an excellent trauma surgeon, but she was also a superb member of her majesty’s army. Don’t forget that she has faced far more dangerous situations than this.”

“Henrik-”

“You have patients, Ms Campbell.” He turns away again and Serena closes her eyes, taking a deep breath in before heading across the room and towards another casualty.

She reminds herself as she works to stabilise a leg fracture, that Hanssen is right; Bernie can handle herself.  She thrives on chaos and danger and there is no one Serena would trust more to handle what is likely to be partially collapsed stairs, than Bernie.

But despite forcing her attention towards the injured people around her, Serena finds it pulled away every time she picks up movement by the stairwell.

Two fractures, one collapsed lung and a head injury she hopes Guy is free to handle downstairs later, and Bernie still hasn’t returned.

The firefighters have been slipping in and out of the destroyed doorway and Serena can’t tell a word they’re saying, hidden behind their helmet’s masks, but surely something must be wrong because Bernie should be back by now.

They’ve got all of the patients moved from the room, the last being ferried out by stretcher behind her and Serena knows that she’s needed downstairs. That there are surgeries she should be preparing for and even if she’s no longer Deputy CEO she’s a damn sight better at organising a panicked staff than Ric Griffin.

But Bernie isn’t back yet.

She takes a step towards the stairwell, pushing back the sweaty, sticky mess of her hair from her forehead. She needs to call Jason soon, every three hours they agreed and it must have been nearly that long by now.

She’s not sure what she thinks she’ll be able to do, more likely to be a hindrance than a help if she’s honest but she has to do something and not knowing what’s going on, what might have happened while she was busy trying not to worry is driving her insane.

Another step and suddenly there’s a rush of movement through the doorway, firemen running back through, one grabbing her by the waist as they pass her and hauling her backwards until she hits the wall.

There’s an almighty crash and the crackle of flames and Serena’s legs give out beneath her, the body pressed against her all but pinning her upright.

Dark, black smoke billows into the room and distantly she feels the fireman step away from her, reaches a hand back, scrabbling at the smooth walls to find some purchase to remain standing.

She can’t look away from the doorway and tugs her arm back harshly when someone tries to pull her away.

She isn’t-she won’t leave, not before she knows.

There’s another pull at her arm, more insistent and she turns her head to snap at whoever is trying to make her leave when she catches movement through the smoke.

She’s already running before her mind consciously puts together flashes of dirty blonde hair and that familiar gait and passes her eyes quickly over the man held as steady as possible between Bernie and another fireman. Waving a hand behind her, Serena calls over another to take Bernie’s place and hovers anxiously while they hand off, eyes hardly wandering from the woman beside her.

She has small cuts and grazes across her cheek, her scrub top torn across one shoulder. She’s covered in dirt and blood, her hair a tangled mess and her eyes blown wide with adrenaline and fear and she is so incredibly beautiful.

Serena would like to pretend she surprises herself with the thought, but she’s long since given up that game when it comes to Bernie.

Finally, Bernie steps back and the man is carried away and Serena watches those dark eyes track her up and down, searching out injuries. “You okay?”

This woman, Serena thinks, stepping even closer to her. “Shouldn’t that be my line?”

Bernie huffs, shrugging her shoulders. “It was a little touch-and-go for a minute there, but I think he has a real chance of pulling through.”

Serena nods. “Uhuh.” Lifting her arms, she places a hand at Bernie’s neck, thumb pressed to the base of her throat, the other reaching into Bernie’s hair. “You scared the life out of me, you know?” Bernie nods, her head jerking between Serena’s hands. “I’m going to kiss you now, Major.”

Another nod follows a slight pause and Serena lifts up on her toes a little to bring their lips together.

Bernie tastes like ash and her lips are chapped from the dry air, but her hands are strong as they circle Serena’s hips, tugging her closer and Serena can feel her heart beating steadily against her chest.

“We need to go.” She whispers as they break apart, neither pulling back further than they have to to breathe.

“Patients to save.” Bernie agrees.

“And I think we’re giving them quite the free show.” Bernie’s lips quirk up and Serena’s never been very good at keeping her eyes away from them at the best of times, but now she knows what they feel like and she leans forward to nip lightly at them. “Come on.”

Pulling away enough to turn, she clasps Bernie’s hand in her own and starts for the exit. Their fingers tangle together, Bernie’s long legs easily matching her stride and despite everything, Serena can’t stop smiling.

There’s a hell of a lot of work ahead of them, and more besides that needs sorting between them. Bernie’s hand squeezes hers as they start down the main stairs, pace stepping up into a jog and Serena grins. They’ll manage.


	3. Three Times A Lady

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edward is as insensative as ever - even from a distance - but a pretty good catalyst...

“Ooh, someone has an admirer.” Bernie says as she enters the office, nodding towards the flowers on Serena’s desk.

The vase is as close to the edge as it can get and Bernie’s a little concerned that between them they’ll end up knocking it to the floor before the day’s over.

“An ex, actually. Although I’m not sure Edward was ever really an admirer of mine.”

Bernie crinkles her nose, taking in the flowers again with new eyes. “Edward sent you flowers?”

“For our anniversary.” Serena shrugs a shoulder.  “He’s always been better at remembering it since we split than he ever was while we were married.”

Dumping her bag on her desk, Bernie detours to Serena’s side, brushing a finger across bright pink petals. “They’re very…”

“Tacky?” Serena offers.

“I was going to say…actually I don’t know what I was going to say.” Stepping around Serena’s chair, Bernie pushes aside a neat little pile of files and lifts herself up onto the desk.  “They don’t seem very you.”

Eyebrow rising, Serena turns her chair a little to face Bernie. “And pray tell, what sort of flower would I be,  Ms Wolfe?”

The answer comes far too quickly for Bernie to deny that she’s thought about it before.  “Lilies. White Lilies with a little touch of lavender if the season’s right.”

“How…how could you possibly know that?”

Bernie smirks, a little smug to know she’s right. “Just call me Charlie Dimmock.” She’s absolutely not imagining it when Serena’s eyes drop to Bernie’s chest, for just a moment.

“Mmmm, well Charlie, perhaps you could work your flower magic on child bride number two.” Serena waves at the flowers. “Apparently they were her choice.”

Bernie blinks. “He had his current wife pick out the flowers for his ex-wife for your no longer relevant anniversary?”

“He did. Apparently; ‘Libby just loves flower arranging’.” Serena reads from the small card in her hand.

“Well, I don’t think she should take it up as a career.” Bernie takes another look at the bouquet but it really is hideous.  Bright pinks and purples with yellow and blue. It’s a neon mishmash.

Serena snorts, her eyes crinkling finally as she places the card down on her desk. “No, but I’m sure her career advisor will help her out.”

Bernie isn’t sure how old the new Mrs Campbell actually is - Serena has never really spoken that seriously about her - but Fletch and Raf have both agreed that Serena’s not too far off with the child jokes.

Leaning back in her seat, Serena tangles her fingers together across her stomach, looking up and catching Bernie’s eye, as always.

Edward must be an imbecile.

“So Ms Wolfe, what does the day have in store for you?”

Bernie smiles, tapping her foot up against Serena’s chair.

“Raf says I have a possible bowel obstruction to look at and Mr Wendle is still in for observation, of course.”

“And then you have those.” Serena points to Bernie’s desk and the chest-high stack of patient files she needs to complete. She looks a little too gleeful about it.

“Yes, and then those. Although, if only I knew someone who just loved completing paperwork…”

“No, no no. You agreed, remember: illness, injury or family emergency,” Serena ticks off on her fingers; “those are the only excuses for guilting me into filing your paperwork.”

With a grumble, Bernie slips off the edge of the desk. “Suppose I best get on then.”

Serena nods; “and if you find some time, a little cleaning might not go amiss. Your clutter is starting to encroach again.” She leans forward over her desk to flick at a coffee holder just edging towards her monitor.

“Yes, Ms Campbell.”

Bernie catches the little dip of Serena’s eyes back down to the card from Edward, her shoulders slumping. "Do you really think he meant-"

"To be this insensitive?" Serena finishes, shrugging and running a hand through her hair as she turns the card over and over between her fingers. "No, I doubt he gave it much deeper thought than; 'oh our anniversary, Serena's sure to be thinking of me, I should send something'. It's not really Edward's style to over think things."

She still looks deflated, some light gone out that Bernie misses already. God, they really did have excellent choice in former spouses, didn't they?

A glance at the clock on Serena's screen tells her she really does need to get on if she's to finish half the things she needs done today and Bernie questions what she's about to do for half a second before she realises she's already moving.

Bending down as she passes behind her chair, Bernie touches her lips to Serena’s cheek, taking a deep inhale of her scent before pulling back.

Wide eyes turn to her, so close she can see the flush on her own cheeks in them.  “Edward is an idiot. You’re better off without him.” Leaning forward, she kisses her again, dangerously close to her lips. “Albies tonight? On me; we’ll have as many glasses of Shiraz as it takes to forget you were ever married to him.”

Pulling away, Bernie forces herself to leave before she can analyse the little hitch to Serena’s breathing when she kissed her. The softness of her skin and the way for just a moment, Bernie was sure Serena leant into her.

Albies, tonight.  Where they’ll both get drunk and Bernie will try very hard not to make a greater fool of herself.

“Bernie?”

Turning back, she leans a hip against the door frame, heart thumping hard in her chest.  _Did she really just do that?_ “Yes?”

“I’m not sure I’ll feel up to going out tonight; it’s been a long week.”

Bernie keeps her face light, doesn’t let the panic show; what has she done? Too much, it was too much. They’re hardly the sort of friends that hug, never mind kiss. She’s been too forward, read more into them than there is. She shouldn’t have got carried away like that.  And they'd been doing so well lately, closer than ever. “Right, right. Well, another time then."  She manages a small smile, half turning to escape the office.

"I, uh…I probably have enough Shiraz at home to rival Albies?” Bernie looks back just in time to catch the flush as it rises up Serena’s chest, “Jason is visiting Alan for the evening, he won’t be back until late.”

A slow smile creeps across Bernie’s lips and not bothering to cover it or reign it in, Bernie nods; “Sounds good.”

Stepping onto the ward, she hums just a few bars of nothing as Fletch heads towards her.

“What have you got for me Fletch?”

“You know how some days it feels like anything could happen, no matter how bizarre? Looks like today is one of them days, Ms Wolfe.”

Bernie laughs, taking the file from his hands. “You said it, Fletch.”

 


	4. Couldn't Stay Secret Forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Established (but not known) Berena, meets the madness of AAU after a holiday.

“I’m not sure I’m comfortable with this.”

Serena sighs, that nice calm relaxed feeling she’s had since they set foot in Brighton on Friday is starting to slip away already and they’ve only been back at Holby five minutes.

“They’re in the boot, Bernie.  No one can see them.”

“Still.”

Pressing the button for the lift, Serena turns to face her while they wait. “You’ve got your phone with you? Your purse and keys.”

“Of course.”

The lift arrives and Serena steps back, letting Bernie on first, her hand landing on her back to almost shove her through the doors when she hesitates. “Well then, there’s only our dirty laundry left for them to take. Frankly, if someone wants to steal my socks they can have at them, saves me the washing later!”

“So you think someone might?”

Pressing for their floor, Serena rolls her eyes. “I think the sea air has sent you barmy.”

Bernie turns to her then, they’re alone in the lift and Bernie’s cheeks are still a little pink from the very small amount of sun they got this weekend. Serena can’t blame the English weather; they hardly left the room long enough to catch a tan.

“It was a good weekend.” Bernie’s hand catches hers, fingers squeezing before letting go again and they watch the numbers go up on the display.

They shouldn’t really have come in together; the plan was to get back yesterday and come in for their shifts separately. 

Only the little B&B hadn’t had another booking for their room until today and Alan had said he didn’t mind stopping in with Jason; he wasn’t quite ready to return to work, but one night would probably do them both the world of good.

And Bernie had looked too tempting against the backdrop of crashing waves and colourful sunsets - honestly, Serena probably needed the extra night just to get all the mushy poetry out of her system. As well as a few other things; who knew when they’d have quite so much time to themselves again?

“You do have a history with car theft you know.  I’m not being completely irrational.”

“Berenice Wolfe if you don’t stop tal-”

The lift stops on the floor below AAU, letting in a couple of nurses she barely recognises and Serena cuts herself off, rolling her eyes when she catches Bernie’s smirk reflected in the closing doors.

Careful to keep her hand hidden in the loose folds of her shirt, Serena reaches out and pinches Bernie’s thigh.

The yelp and subsequent flush that Serena knows now covers Bernie’s chest and neck, is revenge enough for bringing up the car napping incident.  Not her finest hour that one.

 

* * *

 

“Do you text ahead?” Bernie asks as they step through the open doors into the ward.

Serena laughs, nodding thanks to the two porters holding the doors.  “It’s a gift.”

“Ms Campbell, Ms Wolfe! Welcome back.”

“Thank you Raf. How have things been?”

They’ve barely made it through the doors and already Serena can see Fletch heading over with an armful of files.

Nodding to him, she listens to Raf’s summary of the week’s events, his run down of their current patients.

“We didn’t think we’d see you until twelve.” Fletch says to Serena when he reaches her, shaking the files.

“Meeting with Hanssen. No rest for the wicked, Fletch.”

“And you two..?” He waves his hand between Serena and Bernie.

“I picked our dear Ms Wolfe up at the station on the way in.”

“She’s holding my luggage hostage.”

“Oh honestly woman! If you’re so worried, sweet talk one of the guards to do an extra sweep of the car park later.” If her arms weren’t full, Serena’s sure she’d throttle her lover right about now. That holiday feeling has definitely fled back to the coast without her.

An alarm sounds from across the ward and Raf runs off. Bernie turns to her, holding out her bag and Serena slips it over her shoulder with her own. “Go on, I’ll see you later.”

“Lunch?” Bernie offers, bending slightly towards her. Serena rises up a little on her toes to bring their lips together.

“Sure, I’ll get us something from Pulses when I’m done with Hanssen.” She says, lowering back down.

Patting Bernie’s hand as she walks away, Serena turns back to Fletch to find him staring at her, eyes wide.

“What?”

“What do you mean what? What was that?”

Starting to walk towards her office, feeling the pull of the files and bags, Serena frowns at him. “What was what? It’ll only be a quick lunch, give us a chance to catch up on what we’ve missed.”

There’s a heavy pause and she’s just reached her door when Fletch pipes up again.  “You’ve got no idea what just happened do ya?”

“Fletch, what are you-” She stops, breath catching, fingers clutching at the door handle. _Oh._

“Ah, there it is.” She spins blindly, bags smacking against the door. Fletch has a wicked smirk on his face, blue eyes twinkling away brightly. “Care to share what you’ve been up to this weekend, Ms Campbell?”

_Oh hell._

 


	5. We Have A Code Five-One-Five-Zero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Police code 5150 - 'we have a crazy one on the loose'
> 
> In which Bernie meets an Ex and Fletch wins a long running bet.

“Ten quid says he’s trying to get her back.” Bernie looks up from her file just as Raf nods, holding his hand out to shake Fletch’s.

“Twenty says she sends him packing.”

“With a right hook and her shoe print up his arse!”

Snapping the file closed, Bernie tucks it under her arm, stepping up behind the two men where they sit at the nurse’s station. “Something interesting boys?”

They jump, flinching and Bernie smirks; not just Serena she can catch out then.

They share a look between them before Fletch shrugs, obviously some kind of permission because Raf turns to her. “Serena’s ex is back.”

Bernie feels her eyes go wide. “Edward?”

“No, the other one.”

“Robbie the Bobbie.”

Frowning, Bernie steps into the gap between them, dropping the file onto the counter and leaning over it to get a better view. Serena hasn’t mentioned anyone but Edward, but then again it’s not as though they often discuss past lovers.

“What’s the story there then?" 

"Pretty whirlwind. It looked like they were on the same page for a while.”

“Serena brought in house brochures.” Raf adds.

Bernie tilts her head, unable to pull her eyes away from Serena; her back to the nurse’s station, arms crossed tight over her chest: she doesn’t look happy - one hand unclasping from her arm every now and again to gesture a point. “So what happened?”

“Jason.”

It’s the flat tone that pulls her attention away from Serena finally and onto Raf. “They didn’t get along?”

“He didn’t want to try.” Raf disagrees, top lip curled a little in disgust, eyes narrowing as they look back across the ward.

“Jason was staying in this awful accommodation place, Serena found out about it and invited him to live with her.” Fletch continues, rubbing a hand down his face. “Robbie decided that didn’t fit in with his plans.”

“He left her?”

“She offered him an out; the weasel took it.” Bernie fights a smile at Raf’s concern for his friend. She doesn’t know the history there, but she knows enough not to be surprised he’s angry at the ex.

“Hey mate, you think we should go over there?”

Bernie looks back over to where Serena is now shaking her head, ‘the Bobbie’ nattering on. “I’ve got it.” She says, grabbing a file on her way around the desk.

She hears; “Now he’ll definitely get a kick” before she’s moved far enough away to ignore them.

Sending a glare back, she makes her way over to Serena, file smacking against her thigh.

“-happy as I am, thank you.” Serena sounds harried and Bernie makes a split second decision to ditch the file on a nearby trolley.

Leading with her hand, Bernie brushes her fingertips along Serena’s hip, just enough to announce her presence. She feels a little jump as she pulls away, but Serena manages to cover it fairly well. Settling besides her, Bernie tilts her head, raising an eyebrow. “Something I should be aware of?”

Serena meets her eyes and Bernie flatters herself that she sees relief in them.

“Bernie, this is Detective Robbie Medcalf. He came in with my DUI patient.”

“Ah.” Bernie holds out her hand, clenching tightly around Robbie’s when he clasps it, enjoying his surprise at her grip. “Major Berenice Wolfe, trauma surgeon. I believe Mr Morgan is awake now, lucid enough for questions.”

The man doesn’t move, eyes flickering back to Serena. Serena, who takes a slight step back into Bernie, pressing their sides firmly together. It gives Bernie the push she needs to do something completely insane.

Keeping her eyes fixed on Robbie, Bernie slides her hand around Serena’s waist, her loose shirt giving way easily. Fingers resting at Serena’s hip, Bernie hesitates, waiting for Serena’s reaction - there’s not a chance the other woman doesn’t know exactly what Bernie’s plan here is and there’s still a possibility she’ll back out of it. 

Instead, Serena leans into her, bringing her own arm up behind Bernie’s back, rubbing between her shoulder blades in a familiar gesture.

It takes a lot for Bernie to rein in a smirk.

“Mr Morgan is just over there.”

“Er…what?”

Bernie ignores him, enjoying the confusion on his face too much to hurry him along. Turning her head, she looks down at Serena.

“Are we still on for lunch? Jason said he’ll meet us at Pulses if you’d like?”

Serena’s eyes flash at the mention of her nephew, almost flicking over to Robbie. “Yes, of course. He likes their ham Panini.”

“He likes their cheesecake.” Bernie argues, pulling a stifled laugh from Serena.

“Jason's still with you?”

Pulled back to the reason she has Serena all but cuddled into her side,  Bernie glares at the Detective as Serena answers.

“He’s my nephew.”

“But hasn’t his carer recovered yet?”

Bernie feels the way Serena tenses and without giving it a lick of thought, tugs her in even closer, thumb tracing circles on her hip.  Serena gives into her, the hand on Bernie’s back rising up higher to brush at the base of her neck, where the neckline of her scrub top ends.

“Alan is fine, he and Jason see each other quite often now, but Jason is happy living at home.”

“And we like having him there.” Bernie adds. “Makes game night much more interesting.”

Serena jolts, her head jerking against Bernie’s chin and she’s suddenly overwhelmed with the scent of her, unable to resist a deep breath in.

Looking down again, Bernie meets Serena’s upturned face, taking in the raised eyebrow. Yes, she did rather imply they were living together didn’t she?

Realising properly for the first time that she is essentially snuggling her best friend in the middle of the ward, Bernie holds her breath, wondering if this is the moment Serena pulls away and ends the farce. Surely they’ve made it clear enough to 'Robbie the Bobbie’ - Bernie has to give Fletch credit for that one - that Serena isn’t interested, even if she does own up to the fake signals they’re sending.

Instead, Serena seems to hesitate,  biting her lip, before rising up on her toes. “You only say that because both of you beat me so often.”

There’s a moment, an instant where Bernie realises what’s about to happen and her mind frantically tries to explain it away - they’re acting, it means nothing, but then she catches Serena’s eyes before they close and she just…can’t.

Because Serena is an excellent surgeon, she’s a superb administrator and she is a wonderful mother and aunt, but she is an awful actress when it comes to stopping every thought and feeling from showing in her eyes.

Bernie leans down and meets Serena's lips with her own, turning them both so that she can wrap her other arm around Serena, hands meeting at the small of her back.

Serena’s fingers twist into the ends of Bernie’s hair, her free hand coming up to rest against the hidden scar on her chest.

In the back of her mind, Bernie notices Robbie walking off with a disgusted scoff, but it hardly registers, certainly not enough to distract her from the swipe of Serena’s tongue along her bottom lip.

Her fingers dig into Serena’s back, tugging her closer as she parts her lips. Perhaps 'Robbie the Bobbie’ has some use after all.

 

* * *

 

By the nurse’s station Fletch holds out his hand gleefully, waggling his eyebrows while Raf digs into his pocket for his wallet, shaking his head with a smile.

Sacha sidles up to Ric, both of them down here waiting on Serena - it’s always best if they show a united front going into these senior level meetings. “So what’s that then?” He asks, watching as a man storms away from their rather distracted colleagues.

“I believe that is what they call showing some joie de vivre.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I made it! Thank you so much everyone that has been following along with this one. Your amazingly kind comments and kudos have meant the world to me! Here's to tonight's episode!
> 
> Undying thanks go to phantomunmasked - without you, there would be so many errors, far fewer words and I would not have made it further than kiss 3 without your constant cheerleading!


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